At the present time, transmitting data by optical fibers is very popular. Optical fibers have a large number of advantages over the standard wire transmission devices, including much higher transmission frequencies, less losses, and much higher data rates. Generally, in the present communication systems, each optical fiber has a module that includes a transmission channel and a reception channel at each end. One of the pair of channels receives electrical signals, converts the electrical signals to an optical (light) beam by way of a laser or the like and introduces the beam into one end of the optical fiber, which then transmits the modulated optical beam to a similar module at the other end of the optical fiber. The second channel of the module receives modulated optical beams from the optical fiber, conveys the modulated optical beam to a photo diode or the like, which converts the optical beam back to an electrical signal. A problem with this system, however, is the optical coupling efficiency which is highly sensitive to the alignment of the optical fiber and the laser or photo diode.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electro-optic module.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electro-optic module which has an improved optical coupling efficiency.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electro-optic module which can be actively aligned.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electro-optic module which is easier to optically align to a higher precision.